7/17/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 2016 'Annunziata' Riserva is a wine with versatile nuances, depth and young verve & vigor. I love how the earthy minerality finds the floral parts and they shine together. This clearly deserves and needs your focus and time in the glass. Cellar it while you go for the 2015, 2014, 2012 and 2011.

7/22/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Succulent, profound, resonant, with a perfect interplay of explosive power and smoothness. A Barbera with old vine gravitas and the clear tag of the 2020 vintage. A basket of rich cherry, plum, fig, pencil shave and a whiff of worn leather is opened over a wide forest floor. One of the best Barberas in the Alba DOC area I know.

7/22/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Bright transclucent color that gives you already an idea of what is coming. Fragrant, tarry potpourri on the nose, to dive in. The presence is fine and ethereal, with a tart red berry core, nuances of tar, red tea, sandalwood, dog rose and tobacco leaf. The sinewy muscular structure is packed in a graceful ensemble. It leaves an ethereal, floating and lingering mouthfeel and a somewhat mystic touch, an attribute that I love so much in Nebbiolo wines. More overt than 2016. FYI: The next vintage will be 2019.

8/1/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Magnum. A prancing, Barolo that shows all it wants to be: an early drinking 2018 choice, as well as a stunner of the vintage, with sap, juice and graceful litheness. For all savvy Trediberri drinkers: the good part of 'Rocche' shines through clearly, leaving a profound, lasting mouthfeel with a freshly tangy berry core, violets, blue florals and a hint of fresh chestnut. A totally beguiling 2018 Barolo and produce of Trediberri.

8/1/2023 - wineswithmuscles wrote:

Thriving, pushing, saying hello within austerity and a tarry, rich, living, ongoing drinking flow. Truly a 2012 standout with tons of classic Barolo allure.

8/1/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

First vintage here. Typical Roagna hue, bright, clear, transclucent. Wild cherries & berries are pushed among further nuances of musk, wilderness, tobacco & tea leaf, ashen stone and bright rose. This is all shining, silky, finessed and loooong. A Barolo that tells you a story - chapter 1, as many more vintages wil follow.

8/12/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

One of the most intriguing young versions of the Bricco Rocca I have ever tasted, even though it's clearly a youngster. Loaded with energy, spice, potpourri and dried grass on the fragrant nose. You immediately find a lot of energy and vigor here, yet it has a pure, lustrous core. The 2019 seems brighter and has a more red-fruited tone, it reminds me a bit of 2016 when young. The bouquet is complex with spiced red berries, dried flowers & blossoms, earth, tobacco and a hint of clove. Complex. Ever changing in the glass. This is just starting to fire cylinders. Another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Sergio Molino.

8/9/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

In a wonderful drinking spot, with depth expressiveness and mellowed tannins. Resonant, rich, precise. This has just started to got some tertiary sides which show so well in a vintage like 1999 at this time. Great elegant length. Old school as it should be.

8/9/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

To me the epitome of what a Rinaldi Barolo is and stands for. Classic, austere with muscles and vigor. The strong tannic clout has started to soften in the past years. Broad and deep, still a bit brooding. It leaves a huge impact. So Rinaldi, so 2006. I love this.

8/9/2023 - wineswithmuscles wrote:

What a stunning wine, had it for the second time and it remains one of the best wines I have ever tasted in my life. Youthful shades and mature wisdom meet, with ample horizons, inner finesse and myriads of layers. This should never finish in the glass. A wine Nebbiolo dreams are made of.

9/4/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Boom. A Dolcetto that strikes you in a way that is so typical for Flavio and all his wines. The Superiore 2016 carries its trademark density, intensity and structural peculiarity. The slight funk on the nose introduces the wine and wakes the full curiosity. As the first scent blows away with time, the wine grows in the glass and gains weight & details. The powerful thrust remains, embeded in aromas of sour cherry, spiced berries, damp forest floor and a hint of horse saddle. Rich, but also fierce and zesty, you can feel a push & pull of different sides here. A Dolcetto that will enchant all Roddolo fans. Take your time with the bottle though.

8/19/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The Pressendas 2021 Langhe Nebbiolo is always a captivating experience; present on the nose and palate, youthfully fresh, very 2021, with drive, structure and yet a distinct seductive touch. Lithe, pure and based on aromatical intensity with fresh berries, pomegranate and a mélange of colorful flowers and blossoms. This is beautifully done and speaks a lot of what the Pressendas pursuit in all their wines.

9/2/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A fusion of stringent power and pure inner elegance, as well as juice and thrilling uplift. The Boito 2016 convinces with its versatile details and beauty. The fruit is built in layers, ample with red & light purplish nuances and a strongly leading nerve & energy throughout. Definitely one of the most compelling Rizzi wines I've ever tasted.

9/2/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A super classic and Benevelli wine, that speaks both of what the quality of these precious Monforte hills and Massimos working hand is. The 2019 Le Coste has plenty of thrust and depth, but - next to Mosconi and Ravera particularly - also the most open-knit factor. Wild berries, orange zest, whiffs of tar & tobacco and some balsam mingle beautifully. A jewel of Barolo, especially in its price range.

9/4/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Since my first cask sample back in 2020, Rinaldis brand new addition - and third (official) Barolo in their line up - has captivated me: Bussia 2019. From the 'sottana' subzone, where the Rinaldis own 2 parcels, planted with Nebbiolo (Barolo, Langhe) and Dolcetto.

The Bussia 2019 shines with heaps of Rinaldi DNA, but at the same time it doesn't hide its origin, out of the sisters home base in Barolo. It's a youthfully austere wine, possessing a stern tannic spine and a tart berry fruit, with dark red & blue shades. The structure is chiseled, strong and holds all the layers that grow and broaden in the glass. It opens up with linear thrust and muscle and expands in directions on the gracious mid palate. A very distinct attribute here is the lingering spicyness that melds beautifully with the young fruit and vivid aromas of blackberry, crushed stones, iron, violets, black hard candy and herbal pastille. A hint of freshly cut mint leaf provides extra lift and energy. This is a drop-dead gorgeous premiere. Kudos Marta & Carlotta!

10/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A La Morra blend of 66% Berri, 30% Rocche dell’Annunziata and 4% Torriglione. The first time Nicola Oberto blended a Barolo this way, but it was a beautiful choice for the 2018 vintage, bringing together the Annunziata side with the upper, western part of La Morra: Berri, which was the backbone of every vintage of the Barolo classico until today.

Captivating, explosive nose, oscillating between ethereal, red-fruited and floral-herbal scents; gains intensity and drive with air. Vivid on the palate, velvetly texturized, but also with a sap, that doesn’t make you think of the 2018 vintage immediately. There is a spicyness hitting a bright floral and present fruity character, energetic but always smooth and gently flowing down the palate. All young elements work and play together effortlessly, in harmony, and provide plenty of nuance; you can certainly feel the Rocche part in here, boosting the extent of this 2018 Barolo. Forest fruits, red cherry, wild rose with twigs, pressed violets, fresh tar, blood orange, herbal cherry pastille, a dollop of red licorice and a kicking undertone of laurel, thyme and other crushed herbs & spices surround an elegant, adroit, vital and jolly Nebbiolo core - which is just what La Morra is all about. The sapid, refreshing finish demands another sip directly. What a gorgeous, particular 2018 Barolo.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Tart berries, cool tar, herbs and soil on the intense, somewhat brooding nose that speaks of a classic Barolo with force. Hefty and with agile muscles, the 2018 vintage is presenting a Ravera with focus, a lithe texture and a brigther (more reddish) character compared to e.g. the former 2016 and 2017. The structure is robust and the fit tannins feel tailored in the ensemble of all pieces. The dimension here is pretty compelling - imagine being a captain of a boat having a pretty clear 180° view towards the horizon.. just some waves and wind on the open sea, but no storm near and far. No hurry to arrive at the harbor. Tart red cherries, dried strawberries, dark flowers, incense, sandalwood and crushed stones meld with velvet/purple swirls. On the mid palate and finish scents of forest floor and garden herbs bring up an extra buzz. Aged in botte grande only. A really terrific 2018 Barolo from Massimo Benevelli.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

This feels like a one way ticket to La Morra, right into a local Nebbiolo vineyard. A Langhe Nebbiolo with a terrific frame, like a skeleton providing steadiness, a tannic spine and structure. You can feel the class of the 2019 vintage and Odderos idea behind this Nebbiolo: an aging of around one year in botte grande and at the same time to keep the purity, the Nebbiolo fragrance and freshness fully alive. Red roses in a flowerbed, raspberry, red currant, a drop of cherry liqueur and light hint of chewing tobacco pop up, remain present and bracing, in this really stunning, young Langhe Nebbiolo.

10/7/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Crystalline red berry fruit with hints of tilled soil and bright florals on the nose. Needs a moment of air to come around and define its refined, slender character. Provoking aromas of dried rose, ashen stone, pebble and daisy gather in an overall bright, mineral and lifted ensemble seamlessly. This 2014 is neither what one knows from the "old school" Nervi wines, nor being on the high level of depth and nuance that the current 2018 vintage (new label) delivers.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A quite mighty, thrilling Barolo, typically 2010, typically Cerretta. Somber in comparison to Altare’s other wines, but with a shining inner core and allure. Rich and bold, oscillating between density and pliancy. Dark fruits, blueberry, dried rose petals, sweet smoke, mentholated chocolate, dark minerals an a whiff of vanilla mark the big fruit core of this expressive, intense 2010 Barolo with plenty of Altare ID.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A textbook Clerico Barolo, loaded with fruit, Mosconi-power and the gentle richness of the 2007 vintage. Full in body and quite explosive & expansive in the bouquet and the overall feel. This shows fleshy, as ripe dark berry & cherry, tar, sweet brown spice, sweet licorice, new leather and a whisper of oak arise, between warming tannins and luscious, tightly woven units of thick texture. Intense, sweet finish.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A beautiful Barolo, expressing the quality of the vintage, the Sandrone house style and the idea of blending a Barolo. Highly structured and youthful, but the young tannins feel polished and get along perfectly with all other pieces of the strong framework. The wine has a huge dimension and clearly needs more time to fully blossom, but it’s already captivating, as it unites the richness, structural depth and nerve of the blended communes/sites (Baudana of Serralunga, Villero of Castiglione Falletto, Vignane of Barolo and Cerviano-Merli of Novello). A complete Barolo.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 1996 performs beautifully, in harmony and mature balance. Bright and tender textures meet a vital core with just the right amount of a tertiary juice. Dried red berries & flowers, goudron, herbs and mixed potpourri are lifted by a bright energy & autumnal impressions and provide a splendid drinking pleasure. A classic Barbaresco speaking of the potential and mature beauty of its varietal.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

I brought the 2015 Perno, after my friend told me that he tasted the Riserva not long ago and was pretty amazed by it. I was amazed too, by the non Riserva version, its freshness and striking uplift, attributes that are not really typical for the 2015 vintage. The trademark virility, the deeply-rooted mystic factor and the sensual, vital energy of Elios wines are all here, being part of a structural order that is somewhat unique. Harvesting wild berries & blossoms in an environment of Mediterranean plants may give a tiny image of what is going on in the glass. Hints of orange rind, bright earth, sandalwood and more blue flowers complete the lasting impression. A fascinating, story-telling wine.

1/13/2023 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A Barolo full of gravitas, depth, overwhelming poise and allure. This drinks wonderfully today, showing a sweetish side but at the same time myriads of complex shades. Macerated cherries, fig, coffee bean, withered flowers, oriental spices, gentian, menthol and blood orange are some of many flavors lingering. A drop-dead gorgeous Barolo - my constant verdict every time I have the privilege to taste this 2010. Big potential for years to come.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A trademark Roagna wine with a feel of floating intensity and perfume, a fusion of grace & cool rigor, a subtle inner sweetness and tranquility from the old vines. The mouthfeel is vivid, but satiny and balanced, underpinned by structure; it leaves a tactile sensation on the palate. The bouquet is nuanced and ample, as the wine expands into depth, stirring up aromas of forest berries, white pepper, dusty rose, red apple peel and undergrowth, all marked by a cool tarry nerve. An impactful wine and another proof for me that that Luca & Alfredo Roagna crafted some of the wines of the vintage in 2012.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

An alluring, charming and warmish-floral version of Cannubi wafts out of the glass, delicious and very giving right away. In a sweet red berry core, I found more aromas of dried roses, molten tar, pumpkin spice, lavender and further ­bright & purplish floral tones. I like the combination of elegance and satiny richness here. Chiara’s Cannubi is also in 2011 striking and convincing, as usually.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

I chose the 2012 Brunate to have an example of a typical, classic and rather austere Rinaldi Barolo, without being forbiddingly closed or severe. The 2012 did a fantastic job, displaying vigor, depth, class and inner beauty. It leaves a young and steady impression, within a noble, solid tannic core and multiple layers that usher in a dimension that makes Nebbiolo so compelling. On the palate I found an ever-changing, wavy bouquet with tart berries, dark plum, blue flowers, balsam, sage, stony minerals as well expanding notes of chestnut and sandalwood. A totally classic Barolo that gives the - often underrated - 2012 vintage a sort of majestic touch. Can’t wait to experience the further evolution here.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

In a wonderful drinking spot, with a rich substance and plenty of nuance. The 2008 has a remarkable volume and seems to be perhaps a bit darker and bolder than other vintages, which provides a good resonance here. Ripe red plum, crushed blueberries, sweet spices, cola, blood orange and autumnal foliage mingle between mellow tannins and soft fibers. A fairly enticing Barolo with the typical 2008 deliciousness.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 2008 is beautiful, with its somewhat austere core, the finessed touch of the vintage and an intense perfume that takes you to Castiglione Falletto easily. It has still broad shoulders, but makes all its movements with a skilled figure. Cool red cherry, some blue fruits, cold tar, herbal infusion and pieces of tilled soil sit in a structured, robust embedment. A beautiful Barolo from the lesser-known Altenasso MGA.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

One of my most favorite Oddero wines of the past decade. Totally pedigreed, deeply rooted in the core of Bussia. The 2010 possesses poise, the site-typical thrust and a noble, compact tannic backbone. On the palate it expands to a wide fusion of wild berries, spice, cedar, violets and forest floor, never losing its energy or dimension. A deep and sublime Bussia Barolo. Love it.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

I have tasted the 2016 a few times before and was very happy to see that (at the moment) it has not shut down in the expressiveness and especially in its one-of-a-kind perfume that only Vigna Elena delivers. Highly lifted, fragrant and complex in all parameters, endowed with silky & sinewy nerves. The mesmerizing, somewhat exotic, bouquet shows red berry, orange zest, apricot, white pepper, oriental spices and kicking scents of juniper & light elderberry and convinces totally. What a gorgeous Vigna Elena... might this become the very best version I’ve ever had?

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A beautiful expression both of Verduno and the strong 2013 vintage, loaded with structure, power and also softer textures, as well as an overall ample profile. The typical spiciness arises quickly and melds with aromas of dried flowers & blossoms, tar, raspberry, pebbly earth and a drop of cherry liqueur. Savory endurance and finish.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The Ruchè and Freisa seem dominant at the moment, in this young, refreshing 2020 Namaste. Vivid and playful, it shows bright cherry, juicy red currant and a hint of red pepper, within vibrancy, gentle acids and a fruity core.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A fragrant little Nebbiolo bomba, representing the essence of the varietal in an easy, refreshing and zippy way. Rosey, floral, purely red fruited with a tender core and just the right amount of young drive. Made with grapes from Alba, Cherasco and the youngest Barolo designated vines. Aged for a couple of months in steel only. A terrific young Langhe Nebbiolo.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Quite a powerhouse compared to the former 2018 and 2017. Pure and finessed, but wilder and a tad darker and more balsamic than the 2020 Roero next to it. Pomegranate, underwood, cured meat, tar, purple florals and a drop of balsamic oil show up. High in structure and with a huge potenial. Give this some more years in bottle.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Bright red and transparent hue. A fresh red berry blast with red currant, twigs, cedar and wild rose quickly commences to spread an intense Nebbiolo perfume, freshness and drive. Very balanced with an elegant intense fruit and soft tannins. Pure and light in its essence. One of my most favorite "everyday" Nebbiolos from Roero

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A classic Altare showing. Rich, pretty concentrated, as aromas of dried and stewed berries mingle with softer florals, vanilla and an overall nice density. Always an honor to drink older Altare wines.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

One of my two WOTN. Brighter, more energetic, younger and with more heft than the 1998. Plenty of layers with a red-purple fruit, spice, minerals and game are presenting a wonderful, complex Vigna Rionda showing. Changing, growing and playing in the glass. A wine that goes right to my Nebbiolo heart.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Dark, rich and fleshy, wonderfully mature. Crushed & macerated blackberries, plum, heaps of licorce and a beautifully kicking hint of lingonberry show up. Mouthfilling, almost exploding on the palate. Excellent to drink today and a much better bottle than the one some weeks ago.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

A totally striking and compelling 2004, youthful, but at the same time sublime and giving. A bright pure red fruit rises in an elegant embedment and plays with silky as well as tannic elements of structure. So harmonic and classic. One of my two WOTN.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Spice meets sweet undertones in this racy, pretty profound 2007 Barolo. Elements of goudron and tobacco appear and leave a sappy, lasting Nebbiolo impression. A great effort from Benevelli back in time when only one Barolo was crafted.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Strikingly elegant, with the right verve and juice. A good volume opens up immediately and makes room for many layers, within a red-purplish fruit core with a mild balsamic touch. Love this Barbaresco year after year.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

This has gained some nice weight & body in the past years. Very La Morra, with rose petal, red berries and a sweetish, autumnal zest. Smooth on the palate. A terrific 2015 Barolo in the "classico" range.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

10 anni e non sentirli. Stable, aromatically intense and just vibrant & vivid. Red fruited and with a mellow substance. So beautiful to drink now.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

Probably one of the most expressive and captivating Sandri wines at the moment. Just love to keep opening it. Intense, lighter than other bottlings, but with a high energy and lift and a genuine core of wild berries and flowers.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The Barbera, despite of the the generally sender character of the vintage, is bold, rich and boasts both a good color and intensity with 15.5% abv. Lots of cherry and plum meld with darker florals and some earth tones.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 'Annunziata' shows a wonderful uplift, a stringent inner nerve and a well built integrated tannic spine. Aromas of forest berry, fragoline and underbrush linger. Just a light hint of rusy metal that fades quickly. With more air the sweetness of the vintage and a mineral & ethereal touch arise. Classic and totally captivating.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 'Brunate' is more stern and shows not all of its layers openly yet. Big thrust, largely build structure. Pretty balsamic core with a red/blueish touch and more aromas of spice and tobacco. Sublime.

12/1/2022 - wineswithmuscles Likes this wine:

The 'Tre Tine' is shining, bright and overt in style. A fragrant red berry blast is completed by blooming flowers in spring and beams of energy. Very elegant. Fine tannins, huge persistence.